Palarong Pambansa 2018 Headlines

MANILA – Ilocos Sur will host next year’s Palarong Pambansa, the Department of Education announced yesterday. The province won the bidding for the national sporting tournament against Marikina City, Baguio City, Benguet, Bulacan, and Ilagan City, Isabela, Education secretary Leonor Briones said in a press statement. Bidders were assessed based on readiness and completeness of sports facilities; compliance of such facilities with international standards; distance of venues from billeting quarters; peace and order; and support of other local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders. “We had a group of technical inspectors who visited these LGUs and talagang they scored almost the same,” said Briones. “But the province of Ilocos Sur championed the bidding because of its offering on how to make the conduct of the Palaro different for next year,” she said. Ilocos Sur explained how holding Palaro in the province would have an impact not only on its people but on all student athletes as well, said Tonisito Umali, assistant secretary for Legislative Liaison Office, External Partnerships Service and School Sports Division. “Since Ilocos Sur will have its 100th year celebration as a province. Its LGUs will have a lot of special events, which our delegates may be able to witness,” Umali said. The past Palaro hosting did not coincide with any huge event, he noted. “The 2018 Palaro might just be different.” “They will also give our student athletes a chance to tour Ilocos Sur. Vigan, for example,” added Umali. “It is important to show them how rich our culture is.” Palarong Pambansa is the Philippines’ premier national sports competition under Republic Act 10588. (PNA)

After a close match among five local government unit (LGU) bidders, Department of Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones announced that the province of Ilocos Sur will host the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. The other contenders who placed their bid to host the Palaro next year were Marikina City, Baguio City, Ilagan City in Isabela, Benguet and Bulacan. Following the devised tool in assessing the capability of the LGU bidders to host this national sporting event, Briones mentioned that all scored relatively close, but the province of Ilocos Sur managed to present and ”package” it better. The LGU bidders were all assessed based on their readiness and the completeness of their sports facilities, as well as the compliance of these facilities to the international standards. Moreover, the distance of the venues from the billeting quarters, the peace and order in the area, and the support of other LGUs and stakeholders in the locality were taken into consideration. “We had a group of technical inspectors that visited these LGUs and talagang they scored almost the same. But the province of Ilocos Sur championed the bidding because of its offering on how to make the conduct of the Palaro different for next year,” Briones said. Furthermore, Assistant Secretary for Legislative Liaison Office, External Partnerships Service, and School Sports Division Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq. explained that Ilocos Sur was able to articulate how the conduct of Palaro in their province will have an impact not only to their people but to all student-athletes as well. “Since Ilocos Sur will have its 100th year celebration as a province, their LGUs will have a lot of special events to be conducted, which our delegates may be able to witness… In the past hosting of Palaro na walang ganitong kasabay na malaking celebration, maaring maging kakaiba ang 2018 Palaro,” Umali said. “They will also give a chance to our student-athletes to tour around Ilocos Sur, Vigan, for example. Mahalaga rin makita ng mga bata kung gaano kayaman ang ating kultura.” Under the Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10588, the Palaro is recognized as the country’s premier national sporting event where self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry will be fostered. It is also the primary avenue for providing in-school sports opportunities to boost the youth’s physical, intellectual, and social well-being.

VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR, January 31, 2018 – The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur officially inked the memorandum of agreement (MOA), which stipulates the duties and responsibilities of DepEd and the province, for the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. DepEd and Ilocos Sur were represented by Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones and Governor Ryan Luis Singson, respectively. In her message, Briones shared that she instructed the Palarong Pambansa Board to follow religiously the requirements of the law in choosing the official host of the annual sporting event: “We follow very carefully the policies and standards that we have formulated as guidelines for the final selection of the venue. Last year, we reached a unanimous decision to award the bidder, which is the province of Ilocos Sur.” “And may bonus kasi ang Vigan. Aside from its state-of-the-art sports facilities, Vigan also gives our delegates a chance to refresh their memories about the history of our country because this is a historic city,” the Education chief further shared in an interview. DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali, Palarong Pambansa Secretary-General, and members of the Palarong Pambansa Board joined DepEd-Region 1 Director Alma Torio, Ilocos Sur Vice Governor Jeremias Singson, and Vigan City Mayor Juan Carlo Medina in the ceremonial signing of MOA, held at the Vigan Convention Center in Ilocos Sur. As the national government agency tasked to manage the annual sporting event, DepEd shall coordinate with Ilocos Sur for the necessary security provisions and measures, transportation and communication provisions, and other requirements for the conduct of the Palaro, including the playing facilities and billeting quarters for the regional delegations and national technical officials. The Department shall also conduct technical inspection and monitor the readiness of the sports facilities and billeting quarters, in coordination with the province of Ilocos Sur, and provide the standard technical equipment, materials and supplies needed for the different sports events according to the specifications prescribed by the Palaro Technical Management and Games Administration Committee (TMGAC). Furthermore, DepEd is mandated to provide technical and funding assistance in the preparation, repair, and rehabilitation of billeting schools and provide technical officiating officials for the different sports events, and focal persons, liaison officers and/or committees that will coordinate with Ilocos Sur. As the host province, Ilocos Sur shall create and convene the Local Palaro Executive Committee (LPEC) and a secretariat, as well as other working committees that may be necessary for the hosting of the 2018 Palarong Pambansa, and coordinate with the municipalities for the successful conduct of the event. Ilocos Sur shall also provide focal persons or liaison officers or committees or and other manpower requirement who will coordinate and assist DepEd from the preparation stage up to the actual conduct of the Palaro; ensure the readiness and availability of the sports facilities, playing venues, and billeting quarters throughout the whole duration of the Palaro; and ensure that all roads leading to all billeting quarters and playing venues are well maintained in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), among its other commitments. Singson thanked the DepEd for choosing the province and guaranteed the latter that Ilocos Sur will be the best host province: “I don't want this to be one of the best Palarong Pambansa. I want this to be the best Palarong Pambansa.” The MOA signing was followed by the launching of the official logo, mascot, and hymn of the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. Briones expressed confidence that Ilocos Sur can perform its duties and responsibilities as this year’s host province: “I can look at you in the eye and say we made the right choice. We made the rational choice after nearly a year of assessment and study. Congratulations, Ilocos Sur.”

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur won the bidding of Palarong Pambansa 2018. Asec. Atty. Tonisito M.C. Umali of the Department of Education announced the result after the final bidding meet, which was attended by top bidders from various provinces and cities. It was held at Seameo Innotech in Quezon City. Umali said Ilocos Sur has met Palarong Pambansa facilities and equipment standards .He further said, “We have evaluated these facilities and they definitely met the criteria”. The newly renovated Quirino Stadium will house the Palarong Pambansa 2018. Governor Ryan Singson led the Ilocos Sur team during the bidding meet.The Ilocos Sur Team was composed of Dep-ed Region 1 Director Alma Ruby C. Torio, Ilocos Sur Schools Division Superintendent Gemma Tacuycuy, Provincial Administrator Cara Michelle Peredo, and Provincial Sports Coordinator Mr. Marius Cabudol. “This is very meaningful for us, for the first time, Ilocos Sur will host this prestigious event. We will show the whole nation what the Ilocosurians are capable of in hosting the Palarong Pambansa”, Singson said. Ilocos Sur has prepared its infrastructure and people resources, and most especially invested in the state of the art sports facilities in the Quirino Stadium. Palarong Pambansa 2018 is set to open on April next year. Gov. Singson looks forward to the immense impact of Palarong Pambansa 2018 in the province’s economy , tourism and sports development. Truly , next year’s Palarong Pambansa is an event to look forward to. This October ,the Province of Ilocos Sur will host the Batang Pinoy Luzon Leg . This event aims to bring out the Iloco Youth’s talent and skills in various sports events, and for them to exemplify and acquire sports values such as self-discipline , teamwork, cooperation and sportsmanship . This way ,the Filipino youth may be encouraged in productive and healthy activities through sports.

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur through the leadership of Gov. Ryan Singson and the Department of Education headed by Sec. Leonor Magtolis Briones and Undersecretary Atty. Tonisito M.C. Umali, the Secretary General of Palarong Pambansa on Wednesday January 30, 2018 signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the staging 2018 Palarong Pambansa at the Vigan Convention Center, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. “Palarong Pambansa is a big help for the province of Ilocos Sur to further develop the current status of sports, tourism and economy. Ilocos Sur being the host of Palaro, I would like to make it the best Palarong Pambansa ever in the Philippine history”, said Gov. Ryan. The MOA was signed by Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis Singson and Education Secretary Leonor Briones. Through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement the Department of Education will be able to release funds for the said sports event of the country, amounting to more than three hundred million pesos (P300, 000,000.00). “We did not fail ourselves in choosing the Province of Ilocos Sur being the host of Palarong Pambansa 2018, aside from the rich culture it possessed, the sports facilities perfectly suited the event”, Sec. Briones said. Ilocos Sur, in cooperation with the DepEd Regional Office Region 1 and Schools Division of Ilocos Sur, was declared as the host local government unit for the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. The signing of the MOA was seasoned on the celebration of the 200 year anniversary of the province as an independent one. Palarong Pambansa Logo 2018 was being presented right after the signing of the MOA artistically made with a touch of Ilocos Sur products like clay pot and kalesa wheel which is popular at the so called Heritage Province. The Palarong Pambansa hymn was also sung during the event.